The Mudblood And The Prince
by NikitaKulkarni
Summary: He hated her. He had always hated her She reciprocated the hatred. Will her capture lead to embracing of forbidden feelings or something even more twisted? Dark Harry! For full info read author's notes.
1. Prologue

A/N: Hello! This is my first fanfiction ever!

In this story, Harry is not good. He is dark, cold, cruel and evil. So please keep that in mind while reading.

 **Pairings** **: Harry/Hermione. No others as of yet. Rest are canon mostly.**

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

He hated her.

He had always hated her.

The mudblood bitch.

From the first time, he saw her climbing into the Hogwarts Express. Her uncontrollably wild hair bouncing behind her, her brown eyes flicking around trying to take everything in.

Even now.

Kneeling before him.

Her hair matted with dirt and clothes torn. Her eyes vary but still defiant.

"Hermione Granger", he spat. Just saying her name left a bad taste in his mouth. Her head, if possible, rose even more defiantly. Staring right at him as if challenging him to hurt her. He felt his anger rise like bile in his chest. How dare she! She had no idea who he was. She had no idea of what he could do.

"Crucio."

He said it so casually, without even lifting a finger, that one might wonder if it had any effect. But the twitching and screaming mudblood proved that it was extremely powerful.

"The light leader. Dumbledore's successor. Bound, powerless and kneeling in front of me. This might be the best thing that has happened in the past few days."

He turned to the guard at the door, "Take her to the dungeons. I have to meet Father."

"Yes, Prince." The guard bowed and left, dragging the girl with him.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

He strode meaningfully through the manor he had called his home for the last 17 years and reflected on the recent events ignoring the bows and greetings by the passing guards. The light was losing. That was obvious. But they still put up a strong resistance.

'Maybe this blow will help the dark to eliminate the light completely', he mused.

The first blow was Dumbledore's death. It was a hard blow but it did not eliminate the light completely. If anything, it made them retaliate harder. He smiled. That's what made it fun. But now they were becoming a nuisance, especially the mudblood in his dungeons. Hence, Her capture. Even thinking about her made his blood boil. She needed to learn her place. And he would be happy to oblige.

He reached his father's study.

He shook his head, cleared his mind and let his face slip into an emotionless mask. Emotions don't lead to anything good after all. Knocking, he waited for the order to come in.

The doors opened to reveal a magnificent study made of the costliest material known to man and painted green, black and silver. The walls were covered with books so old that they were declared lost to mankind. Knowledge is Power.

In front of the only window to the west of the room was a large desk. Behind that desk was a man whose aura by just being in room demanded obedience from all. The man looked up to reveal a handsome, aristocratic face of a thirty-something man and blood red eyes. The man was the Dark Lord. Also known by You-Know-Who and He Who Must Not Be Named by people who feared him.

The Dark Lord waved a hand to ask the young man at the door to come in.

"Welcome, Harry."


	2. Growing up

A/N: The next few chapters span over Harry growing up, his Hogwarts years and the war upto Hermione's capture.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _October 31, 1981_

 _'_ _Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!'_

 _'_ _Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…'_

 _'_ _Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead –'_

 _-Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban, J._

 _'_ _Avada Kedavra'_

The mudblood dead, he turned his wand on the only living being in the room apart from him. A baby in the crib. The child destined to kill him. The child was calm, almost expectant as if it was his father playing tricks to amuse him. As he neared the crib, the child raised his hands asking to be picked up. His magical aura glowing, he would grow up to become a powerful wizard indeed.

The Dark Lord did not know what came over him in that minute and he picked up the baby.

"The light has no chance of surviving now."

And Harry Potter was dead.

But what was born was deadlier than any force experienced by mankind.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _April 14, 1985_

Lucius strode through the halls of his Lord's manor. He was confused, he had been summoned very suddenly. He had been having a nice quiet dinner with his wife when the summons came.

He knocked on the Lord's study and waited.

The doors opened to give him entrance. The Dark Lord sat behind his desk.

"Ah. Lucius, come in. Come in. I've a job for you"

* * *

Narcissa had just put Draco to sleep when the wards let her know that Lucius was home. She had been worried about the sudden summon Lucius received. When she met him in the front foyer, he was looking very pale.

"What's the matter, Lucius?"

"The Dark Lord… he asked me to take Draco to him tomorrow."

"Why? Certainly he told you why!"

"No, he hasn't. I'll take Draco to the Manor tomorrow."

Narcissa wanted to protest but there was nothing she could do. Once the Dark Lord willed it, it would happen.

* * *

 _The next day_

"Come Draco, we mustn't be late."

"Yes, Father."

He walked as fast as he could. He was palpably excited to meet the Dark Lord father always spoke about.

* * *

 _Slytherin Manor_

"Lucius, Little Draco, come in."

Draco felt indignant at being called little but all thoughts fled his mind when he saw the study. And he thought his Father's study was impressive. It was nothing compared to the room he was in. This room easily double his Father's study. He looked around with visible awe.

"Draco." His Father hissed

Draco jumped and came back to reality just in time to see a boy A boy, around his age, with jet black hair and striking emerald eyes walking towards him.

* * *

"Harry, it's rude to keep our guests waiting. Come out." The Dark Lord called Harry. "He's still shy. He is not used to anyone around him but me." He told the other two in the room.

Harry came out. He was excited to meet this boy Father told him about. But after 3 years of only Father and Nagini for company, he had no idea how to act around other people.

He saw the boy and walked towards his with his hand outstretched.

"Hi, I'm Harry. Harry Riddle."

* * *

Lucius was shocked to hear The Dark Lord call someone named 'Harry'.

He was even more shocked to see a small boy of Draco's age walking out.

But the biggest shock was his name.

This boy was the Dark Lord's son.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _May 5, 1986, Slytherin Manor Garden Harry- aged 5_

Come on.

He can do it. Come on.

Just concentrate. And it will happen. Just like Father did it so many times.

He tries to lift the rock from the ground. Like his father lifts so many other objects. He wants to learn do it too but Father says he is too young. That they will start when he is ready. He IS ready. And so, he is going to prove it to his Father. And he does.

Harry was so engrossed in concentrating at lifting the rock that he missed the 2 sets of eyes watching him.

 ** _"_** ** _I do believe he is ready, Nagini."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Yes, he is, master."_**

"Harry."

Harry, startled by the voice, loses the control on the rock which tumbles down.

"Fa… Father. Good Morning. I did not hear you coming."

"Good Morning, Harry. What were you doing?" The Dark Lord asked. "I believe I told you we weren't to begin until after you were 6?"

"I know, Father. I just believe I am ready. Can I prove it?"

"Please do", he allowed.

Clearly excited to finally show his father, Harry concentrated on lifting a nearby rock, and did it successfully.

"I did it, Father!"

"Indeed. I believe you are ready."

"Really?

"Yes. We will start tomorrow at 6 a.m. in the duelling room in the west wing. Do not be late."

"I won't."

He couldn't believe it. He did it. He proved he was ready. Now he could finally start learning magic! He had been taking etiquette lessons with Narcissa, who was his best friend Draco's mother, since last year but now he could learn magic!

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix, Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, Barty Crouch Jr. and Severus Snape were the only people who knew about The Dark Lord's heir.

Harry was to start learning magic with the combined effort of all these people. The Dark Lord's heir was to have everything the best after all.

The Dark Lord would be instructing Harry in Parsel-magic and the most advanced Dark Arts. He would also be training occlumency and legilimency.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _Harry receives a wand._

Harry was practically vibrating with excitement. It's his 7th birthday. The day Father was going to gift him a wand.

They were going to make a customized wand for him as the British Ministry of Magic did not allow kids under age of 11 to possess a wand.

Harry scowled.

How pathetic.

The wand maker from France had already visited them a few months ago to determine Harry's core and wood. Today he would deliver the wand.

Harry couldn't wait!

At the age of 7, Harry could cast most spells without a wand. His father had made sure he could cast wandlessly as well as non-verbally. Some of the more advanced spells were kept for later when he had a wand. Those were the most fun spells! And now that he was getting a wand, he could perform them!

* * *

The wand maker arrived. He walked in and bowed to the Dark Lord.

"My Lord, the wand is ready. The Little Prince was a tricky customer but I enjoyed the challenge. This is my best creation."

He presented a beautifully crafted box to Harry, who took it.

When he opened it, he gasped. The wand was beautiful. Jet black in colour and made of Ebony wood.

"My Lord, as the Prince was unsuited to only one core, there are two different cores in the wand. Phoenix feather and basilisk venom."

Harry picked up the wand and felt a warmth rush through him. It was as if a missing piece of his body was joined back.

"Thank you, Gustav. You have done well."

Gustav bowed and left.

* * *

Harry turned to his father.

"Isn't this wand beautiful?"

"Yes, it certainly does have an appeal, doesn't it?

"Now that I have my wand can we start those dark spells you asked me read about?"

His father chuckled, a sinister sound.

"Impatient, are we? But to answer your question, yes, we will start. Next week. Now let's celebrate your birthday."

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _October 18, 1988. Harry aged-8_

"Clear your mind", Father instructed. "Emotions are useless. Do not dwell on them. They make you weak, they keep you from achieving what you want completely. Clear your mind from all emotions."

Harry tried. He really did but he was so tired after the gruelling duelling session with Rabastan that he could hardly keep his eyes open, let alone concentrate in what his Father was saying.

"Harry", The Dark Lord called silkily.

Harry's eyes shot open at that tone. He knew that tone. It was reserved for someone in trouble.

"I'm sorry, Father."

"Very well. I can see you are tired right now. So I will let it go. But that is no excuse for slacking off. I am disappointed. Now pay attention."

"Yes Father"

Of all things, Harry hated disappointing his Father the most. He would do everything in his power to make his Father happy. Always.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _July 31, 1991 Harry aged- 11 Harry's birthday_

He blinked.

And woke up.

A small smile graced his face before disappearing in a mask of cool indifference.

Today is his birthday. He turns 11 today.

He is more excited for this birthday than any other one because his Hogwarts letter comes today.

He heard his bedroom door open and sat up just in time as the next minute a small boy with blond hair jumped into the bed chanting,

"It's your birthday! It's your birthday!"

Harry found it amusing, not that he would admit it. His friend was more excited than he was. Outwardly he sighed,

"Must you behave like a kid Draco?"

"But we are kids." He huffed.

"Yes, but you are also the Malfoy heir. What will Lucius say when he sees you like this?"

That thought sobered Draco quickly and he slipped behind the Pureblood persona.

"You are right, of course, Prince. I came in to say 'Happy Birthday'." He nodded seriously.

"Prat!" Harry laughed. Draco was the only person in front of whom Harry showed any kind of emotion.

* * *

After dressing in his finest robes, Harry went down to meet his Father, who, as expected, was waiting in the sitting room.

"Happy Birthday, Harry." His Father greeted.

"Thank you, Father."

"Come, I have a present for you"

"Did my letter come!?"

Harry was sure if had spoken with so much emotion some other day, his father would have reprimanded him. But since it was his birthday, Father let it slide.

"No, it hasn't. But you should know better than to expect it. You do remember what I've told you, don't you?" His Father admonished.

"Yes, Father." And he did.

He was raised in an orphanage with no idea that magic existed. His father suggested this since Dumbledore knew Lord Voldemort to be Tom Riddle, he would suspect Harry. If, no when Harry was sorted into Slytherin, he would establish his own power within the house. As the Dark Lord's heir, he would be given wide margin, but Harry wanted to rule the Slytherin house on his own credit. It will prove, later, that he was worth the title of the Dark Heir.

So, he would be paid a visit today by a faculty.

He needed to go to the orphanage to await them.

* * *

 _Old Will's Orphanage, London_

Harry was bored. He had been waiting for 2 hours for someone to come. This was not how he wanted to spend his birthday, in a small, smelly room surrounded by filthy muggles. Honestly! Had they no decorum?

The door clicked.

Finally!

The door opened to reveal a woman in a pantsuit though Harry could see through the glamours. She had a strict face with her hair tied in a severe bun, her lips pursed as she took in the room deeming it to be unfit to be lived in.

Well, Harry certainly agreed with her there.

"Good Morning, Mr. Riddle, I am Professor McGonagall. I am here to offer you a place at our school. Are you interested?"

"Anything to get out of this place." Harry sneered

McGonagall looked as if she agreed. "This school is a school for special students. You, Mr. Riddle, are a wizard."

"What!?" he exclaimed in mock surprise. "Are you sure?"

She asked him if he'd done some 'unexplainable' things. Typical.

When he answered in affirmative and had a false realisation that, yes, in fact he may be a wizard, McGonagall started explaining him the basics of what Hogwarts and magical community consisted of. Then-

"Mr. Riddle, to buy your wand and other school supplies we have to go to the Diagon Alley. I will accompany you."

Knowing if he argued against it, it will be suspicious he agreed, "That would be really helpful, Professor."

* * *

 _That night_

The day had been tiring.

He never knew shopping could be so taxing.

At Ollivander's, the wand-maker made him go through almost all wands in the shop before, he found a match in a holly and phoenix feather wand. The brother wand to his father.

Yes, he had a wand but he could not use it except at home. The new wand fitted him well enough but not as much as his original wand did.

But he was excited. He was going to Hogwarts. He would show them why he was not someone to be trifled with.

He would do his Father proud.


	3. First Year- Part 1

_September 1_ _st_ _, 1991. Morning._

Harry was all packed and just waiting to leave. He was so impatient that he couldn't even sit in one place, causing him to pace about, muttering under his breath. He was waiting for the Malfoys to arrive.

The floo pinged.

Yes! They're here.

Narcissa walked from the floo without so much as a stumble.

"There you are, Harry dear." Narcissa said. "Are you all packed for Hogwarts?"

Harry barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Narcissa was always a mother-hen.

"Yes, Narcissa. I finished packing last night."

"Good." She said and pulled him into a hug. Harry returned the hug but moved away as soon as he could without being rude. That was when he saw Draco and Lucius come out of the Floo. Harry could tell by looking at Draco that he was walking straight only due to Lucius' presence near him. Or else he would have skipped with excitement.

"Good morning, Lucius. Hello, Draco."

"Good morning, Harry."

"Hi, Ha- ouch… Good Morning, Prince." Draco corrected after a small poke by his Father's cane.

Harry smirked. This was something he was used to. They always had to be formal while greeting for the first time and Draco always forgot.

"Good, all of you are here." They all turned to see the Dark Lord walking in.

"Father." Harry acknowledged with a nod.

"My lord." Draco and Lucius bowed. Narcissa curtsied.

"Harry cannot go to the station via Floo or Portkey. So, I will be taking him there by _muggle_ means." He spat the word muggle.

"Very well, My Lord." Lucius said. "Come Draco, Narcissa. We must leave for the station."

"Harry, acting like a mudblood is going to be difficult. But acting like a mudblood is going to be even more difficult in Slytherin."

"I know, Father. I will be careful. No one touches me and mine and gets away with it."

The cold glint in his eyes would have made the person standing in front of him run far and in the opposite direction if it wasn't the Dark Lord.

"Good. Now let's go."

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _September 1_ _st_ _,1991. King's Cross Station Platform 9¾_

"Have a good term, Harry. I expect the best from you."

"Of course, Father."

"Goodbye"

"See you soon, Father. I'll write to you."

"Harry…" Harry turned back with a questioning look on his face.

"Dumbledore is hiding something of value at school. I wish to own it. You must bring it for me. Consider this as a test. I will not tell you what it is or where it is. You must do it on your own."

"Yes. I will do it as soon as I can."

"Good." With that the Dark Lord left.

Harry climbed onto the train. That was when he first saw Her. _Her uncontrollably wild hair bouncing behind her, her brown eyes flicking around trying to take everything in._

It was clear that she was a mudblood. There was no mistaking her awe at everything magical and her excitement of going to a _magical_ school. He felt something. And thought-

'Can Father be wrong about mudbloods?' The thought was gone as soon as it came, leaving Harry with self-disgust at doubting his father.

At that moment, Harry determined he would hate her. She made him feel. Even worse, she made him doubt his father. But in that moment, Harry also realised one thing, he would not allow anyone else to hurt her. Ever.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _In the train, on the way_

Harry had found a compartment easily. He couldn't sit with Draco so he was all alone on his own. He did not want to sit with mudbloods or blood-traitors either. Luckily, for him as well as them, no one had bothered him either.

He had been reading for an hour or so when a knock on the door sounded and the compartment door was thrown open. A red-headed boy stood there. He glanced into the compartment and said-

"Oh! You're not him." He sounded disappointed.

"Him, who?"

"Him- as in Neville Longbottom. Surely you know him. The Chosen One? One destined to kill ' _You-Know-Who_ '." He said the last part in a whisper as if expecting _You-Know-Who_ to come out and kill him for talking about it.

Of course Harry knew. But-

"No, as a matter of fact, I do not know."

"But… everyone in wizarding wor- oh, are you a muggleborn? Hi, I'm Ronald Weasley. You may call me Ron."

Ah. A weasel, as Draco likes to call them. That explains the poor condition of the robes.

"Pleasure. Yes, I'm a mu- muggleborn. Harry, Harry Riddle."

He'd slipped and almost said mudblood. But he had to be polite. Had to wait and bid his time.

"Maybe I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Maybe."

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _Great Hall, Sorting Ceremony._

The Hall was filled with applause. The hat had just finished its song. Now the First Years waited to be called to be sorted.

They had been received by a huge man called Hagrid. 'Dumbledore's pet half-giant' as Lucius had called him. They were taken across the Black Lake by the boats, where they first saw Hogwarts in all her glory. Even Harry had been really impressed though he neither gasped or gaped with his mouth hanging open or even blinked. Hagrid left them with McGonagall at the castle who told them, briefly, about the Hogwarts' houses and their qualities. Then she led them to the Great Hall to be sorted. Harry could hear the mud- Granger as he knew her name to be prattling about how the ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky outside and how it was mentioned in _Hogwarts: A History._ ' _A know-it-all_.' He rolled his eyes.

"Abbot, Hannah." The start of the ceremony brought Harry out of his musings

"HUFFLEPUFF."

"Bones, Susan"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

"Boot, Terry"

"RAVENCLAW"

"Brocklehurst, Mandy"

"RAVENCLAW."

"Brown, Lavender"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Bulstrode, Millicent"

"SLYTHERIN"

Harry tuned out after that. Only jerking back to reality when-

"Granger, Hermione"

Harry didn't know why her sorting mattered or why he would care where she went but apparently, he did. So, he paid attention.

"GRYFFINDOR"

…

"Longbottom, Neville." Murmurs started around the hall. Ah, the Golden Boy. Gryffindor for him.

"GRYFFINDOR." Harry smirked. So obvious.

…

"Malfoy, Draco." 'He is going to be in Slytherin before you can say _Quidditch._ '

"SLYTHERIN"

… not long before his turn now…

"Riddle, Harry"

' _Hello there, little Rid- oh pardon me, Prince'_

 _'_ _Stay out of my head if you know what's good for you'_

The hat chuckled.

 _'_ _There's not much to think about, is there?'_

"SLYTHERIN"

Harry removed the hat and made to move towards Slytherin table. The rest of the Slytherins had received warm and sort of genuine applause but Harry received a cold, aloof but polite one. Harry had expected it. He slid into a seat next to Draco as they waited for sorting to get over.

Weasely went to Gryffindor and Zabini, the last person to be sorted, got into Slytherin.

"Welcome!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. I have a few announcements but this is not the time. So, Nitwit! Oddment! Blubber! Tweak!"

'Barmy old codger.' As his father liked to call Dumbledore.

Suddenly, the plates in front of him were filled with food as the Hall descended into whispers- friends catching up after vacation, first years making friends, girls swapping the hottest gossip and so on. He could hear people whispering about him on the Slytherin table.

"A mudblood…"

"… in Slytherin…"

"… powerful…"

"… let's wait and observe… who knows?"

He smirked. It was expected. Most of them decided they would wait and observe him, if he showed some special talent or not. But there were others who openly sneered at him. Shrugging, he went back to his meal. They would understand soon enough. No one said anything to him at the table, but he knew the same courtesy would not extend to the common room. He'd have to be vigilant.

* * *

 _After the Feast._

"Ahem- just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the Forbidden Forest is exactly that- Forbidden. And a few of our older student also ought to know that by now."

His eyes flashed towards the Gryffindor table and suspiciously towards two twin red-headed boys who looked like Weaselys.

"Next, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to anyone not wishing to die a painful death."

So that's where the _precious thing_ is. That was easy. Now only to find out what is in there and how protected it is.

"Now, prefects, if you would please escort your students to the dormitories. Go on. Off you trot."

Harry followed the Slytherin prefect out of the hall and towards the Common Room, in the dungeons. He carefully took in his surroundings. Memorising each twist and turn. It wouldn't do to be lost, after all.

"Serpentine." The prefect said to a stretch of wall in front of him. The wall slid open to reveal a huge comfortable room draped in green and silver and black reminding Harry of the sitting room back at the Manor. As they all filed in, the wall closed, looking like a door on the inside but just a patch of wall outside.

"First years. Welcome to Slytherin House. This room and your dormitories are going to be your home for the next few years. There are a few Slytherin House rules that everyone must follow. I will leave that to Professor Snape." As if his words were a cue, the door slid open to reveal Snape- or _Professor_ Snape as Harry reminded himself.

"First of all, we are Slytherins." Snape started without preamble. "We always stand together. No matter what circumstance. Outside of these walls, we are one. Your differences, prejudices and fights will never leave these walls.

"Next, Do. Not. Get. Caught. If you do, I assure you, it will not be pleasant for you.

"Work hard. If I find anyone slacking off in class, they will have me to answer to."

At this, some of the older students looked wary, and dare Harry say it, a little scared. He did not have to wonder why. He had experienced first-hand what Snape's punishments are for slacking off. Not even being the Dark Lord's son had saved him.

"I should find all First Years here tomorrow at 7, impeccably dressed and awake if you do not want to rush in for breakfast and classes like mindless Gryffindors. Am I clear?" There were a few nods. "Verbally!" Snape barked. "Yes, Sir!" Snape nodded and left.

Slowly, the first years had been left alone after being told where their dorms were. Two people to a dorm. Well that was a relief. Now Harry and Draco could talk freely without being suspected.

Harry looked around. A few older students who were sneering at him before were now sending him completely malicious smirks. No doubt they were going to try something before the week was out. Well, whenever it comes to that.

He walked downstairs to his dorm room, Draco followed soon after.

"Isn't this just great? Hogwarts is beautiful!"

"Yes, she is. I understand now, why Father considered her his true home."

Draco just nodded. They changed into their night clothes and got ready for bed. Harry really wanted to search for the _precious thing_ but one entire day of travelling and being introduced in school takes a toll on everyone. So, he decided to put it off for tomorrow night and went to bed.

* * *

 _Next night_

As Draco got into bed, Harry decided to sneak out under the disillusionment charm. He wordlessly cast it on himself and snuck he was walking around the dimly lit castle he reflected on his very first day at lessons.

The day had been pretty uneventful. They had Transfiguration first thing. Harry was impressed with McGonagall when she had come to pick him up at the orphanage but sitting through her lesson sealed it for him. She was a talented witch and a formidable opponent. She was not a witch to cross. She also was not blatantly partial to any student. If only she wasn't such a firm light believer! Harry sighed. It will not be possible to get McGonagall on the dark side. They had begun with basics- transfiguring toothpick into a matchstick. Harry had been the only one in class to do it successfully, earing 5 points and a rare smile, though Draco claimed he had been well on verge of doing it too.

They had charms too. Flitwick was nice enough, though a little too excited. Shame they wouldn't begin with wand work.

Looking around Harry realised he had reached his destination and decided to snoop around.

Outside the door, he started checking for wards alerting Dumbledore if someone tries to open the door. He didn't find any. He pressed an ear to the door to see if he could hear something. Sure enough, he heared growling. 'Growling? Who is growling in there?'

He tried to open the door. No result. He waved a hand unlocking it nonverbally. The door clicked open and Harry peeked inside. He quickly shut the door whispering "Colloportus".

Turning he walked swiftly towards the dorms thinking of nothing till he was in his bed.

"Why the hell does Dumbledore think it is a good idea to keep a bloody Cerberus in a school full of students?"

* * *

 _A month later_

Harry had decided that if the first obstacle was a Cerberus then, it would get even more difficult as each stage passed. So, he couldn't go down without finding out a bit more. He wasn't, after all, a Gryffindor. But he hadn't made any progress. It was impossible to know what was beneath the trapdoor without climbing down himself or asking any teacher. Not that he didn't try. It seemed Father had strictly forbidden Severus from telling him anything worth knowing.

A month had passed since he last went there and only a few interesting things had happened.

 _Next day after visiting third floor corridor_

 _Harry was walking down the potions lab for their first potions lessons, with Gryffindors of all people. Why Dumbledore thought it would be productive to put Slytherins' and Gryffindors' together for anything let alone potions was beyond the reasoning of Harry._

 _'_ _Oi Riddle!'_

 _'_ _Oh, hello Ron. Whatever happened to me being Harry?'_

 _'_ _You getting into Slytherin is what happened. I didn't take you to be a dark wizard. What with you being a muggle- Do they treat you right in there, mate?'_

 _Harry blinked. The sudden change in tone from accusing to concerned took Harry off guard and so he took a moment to answer._

 _'_ _Oh yeah. It's alright. They haven't done anything.' The 'yet' remained unsaid but understood._

Finnegan's cauldron had melted in that lecture causing Snape to take more 5 points off Gryffindor when he had already taken 5 points off from Longbottom for being unable to answer questions and Granger for being a Know-it-all. Harry hadn't seen Weasley after that.

Other thing that had happened was Weasley falling off his broom and breaking his wrist in the first flying lesson. It had been hilarious to watch, though many might disagree.

The older Slytherins' had also slowly started insulting him indirectly- covering their noses, asking in a staged whisper _'what is that foul smell?'_ \- whenever he was in the room. It was starting to grate his nerves but none of them had openly insulted or confronted him. He could wait.

He was watching them to figure out who would best suit his order and who would be better off as a Death Eater. Till date he had a tentative list. All students in his year would of course be his followers but from older students, Marcus Flint, Adrian Pucey, Terrence Higgs, Megan Jones, Laura Madley, Miles Bletchley, the two Slytherin beaters Bole and Derrick were fit to be called his. They were few of the most powerful and sneaky ones. Their roots were also firmly dark. He would now have to start extending his search to other houses. Starting with Ravenclaw who at least looked at Slytherins without judgement, then Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors.

* * *

 _A few days later._

Harry was fed up. The Slytherins were really getting on his nerves. On top of it the mudblood had taken to following him around and asking him if he was okay. She felt he was being _mistreated_ in Slytherin and them being from the same _background_ that she could help him. The first few days of school he had ignored her perfectly ok but now it was impossible. She even always sat next to him in the library quoting _Hogwarts: A History_ always. There was only so much he could take.

Right now, he was in the library looking for some clues to subdue a Cerberus. The mudblood usually came here around this time. Where was-

"Hi Harry." Ah. There she is. Right on time.

"Hello, Granger."

"I told you to call me Hermione."

"And I never told you to call me Harry but here we are."

"Why do you have to be so rude to me all the time?"

" _"_ _Why do you have to be so rude to me all the time?""_ He mocked her. "Why don't you go sit with other _mudbloods_ and leave me alone, huh, how do you not know that _know-it-all_?"

She looked like she would cry. Instead-

Harry reeled back when she slapped him, clearly not expecting it.

"You filthy hypocrite! You call me a _mudblood_ when you're as much a _mudblood_ as I am. You think just because you got into Slytherin you become a pureblood? I just wanted to help you." And she stormed away.

Harry stood there rooted on the spot, still recovering from the shock. As he started coming back to his senses, he started becoming angry.

How dare she! She was nothing but a filthy little _mudblood._ And he was the Dark Lord's son. She would pay. One day she would pay dearly for what she has done.

And this was exactly why he was in a foul mood when he returned to the common room. Draco saw him and wisely kept his mouth shut. But wise was not a word that would describe the 5 older students who approached him.

"Why if it isn't our Slytherin mudblood."

"Of course it is. Why would it stink otherwise?"

Harry's anger tipped over the edge and he let go of the control on his magic.

One moment the 5 Slytherins had him cornered and were insulting him and in the next moment they were on the floor twitching and screaming and pleading for mercy. But mercy was exactly what Harry did not feel like giving them so he let them suffer. He stopped only when he heard a pleading in his year.

"Prince, stop. Please stop. See, look at them, they have already suffered. Think. You don't want to reveal everything, do you?"

It would seem Draco had abandoned his cowardice of not coming forward.

"That is exactly what I plan on doing, Draco. They think they can trample me or have you not heard them speak for the last few days? I'll just have to tell them who I really am."

"Don't you think that is risky?" They were speaking normally but Harry had erected a privacy ward as soon as he took his power under control again. Some of the other students were helping those five but rest of them were just looking at him fearfully. Harry, now, had calmed down enough to think rationally.

"You are right, Draco. But look, now they will leave me alone."

Snape chose that moment to glide in It seemed someone slipped away to call their head of house. Snape took one look around and asked,

"What happened here? I want the truth. The complete truth."

"Sir, these 5 boys started it." It was Daphne Greengrass. "They were insulting Riddle there and then suddenly they were twitching and screaming. Then Malfoy went over, said something and Riddle calmed down."

"I see. Come on, you five. I'll deal with you." Snape then turned to Harry, "Mr. Riddle, I expect you in my office at 5. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

* * *

 _At 5, Snape's office_

Knock. Knock.

"Come in, Harry."

Harry relaxed a little at Severus calling him by his first name. That meant he was not in a lot of trouble. He walked in and waited to be acknowledged.

"Sit down, Harry. I heard what happened in the common room from the 5 students. I've never seen you lose your cool like that. Care to explain what happened?"

"Sev- I had a bad day. And then they came onto me insulting me, my father-"

"Your Father- how?"

"By saying I'm a Mudblood, they implied that father is a muggle. Isn't that an insult to him?" Harry scowled there. "So, I just lost control on my magic." He didn't say he was sorry. Because he was not. He would do it over and over again if the situation called for it.

"Very well. I trust you know what you are going to do?"

"I do, sir."

"But I have to give you detention. Every Saturday 10 am."

"Yes, sir. I will be there."

No one knew what Snape told those five boys and what those boys told the rest of the Slytherins. But one thing was clear. The dynamics of the house changed rapidly after that incident.

Harry, since the incident, was hailed the prince of Slytherin, within the house only though. Harry was treated with utmost respect.

The seating in the Great Hall changed too. Where the first years used to sit at the end of the table, now they sat in the middle with Harry right in the centre. It went unnoticed by the rest of the students but Dumbledore noticed it right away. He decided to keep a closer eye on Harry. He did not want a second Voldemort on his hand, after all.

* * *

 _Hallowe'en_

Harry was bored. All the lessons taught him everything he already knew. There was nothing new and so he was bored.

 _'_ _\- no one can stand her.'_ Harry heard Weasley's voice telling Finnegan. _'She's a nightmare, honestly. Bloody know-'_ he stopped as someone bumped into him. Harry saw it was Granger and she was crying.

"Well, then you should have listened to professor Flitwick. I just corrected your wording." She screamed.

"Go boss your friends. Oops, my bad, you haven't got any." Weasley taunted.

Harry was on his feet wand drawn. "Apologise." He said, his voice deadly calm and cold. He noticed Granger look towards him in surprise and suspicion. He didn't care. Weasley looked defiant and ready to protest but Harry's eyes flashed and he gripped his wand firmly

"So- Sorry." Weasley stuttered and ran away.

As soon as he was gone, Granger turned on him. "Why do you care? After all I'm but a filthy mudblood. You don't need to protect me when you are just as mean as he is."

Again, Harry stood transfixed but this time wondering about something she said.

 _Why do you care?_

Indeed, _why did he care?_


	4. First Year- Part 2

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I have exams going on. I'm in 12th. Any Indians? You'll understand why that takes up time..  
Its kind of equivalent to high school graduation, I suppose.  
Anyway, I haven't proof-read this chapter, so I apologise for any mistakes in advance. hope you like it.  
My work is also un-beta'ed

* * *

 _Harry,_

 _I am glad to hear you are well. I'm even more glad to hear that you are doing exceedingly well in your classes. I hope, though, that you remember the task I gave you and working towards doing it._

 _This Christmas you cannot come home. I have to travel abroad to meet some potential allies. I will be busy the entire month. I will see you during summer. I do regret that this has to be during the festivities but I do not have any other option. Lucius will be accompanying me so Draco will be staying with you during the winter break._

 _Study hard and make me proud._

 _Love,_

 _Father._

Short and to the point. That was exactly something his Father would do. He was glad that his father had put a charm on the letter. Anyone other than Harry reading it, it would seem to be a short and rude letter by the caretaker of the orphanage telling him not to come there for Christmas. Harry was glad because it would seem someone had opened this letter before it reached him. Who it was became clear when-

"Mr. Riddle, the Headmaster would like to see you in his office after dinner at 8." Snape told him. Harry had not expected Dumbledore to start snooping into his students' letters. "Come to my office at 7." Harry knew that was meant only for him to hear as Snape's voice had dropped to a whisper.

"Yes sir." Snape nodded and stalked away.

* * *

 _At 7_

"Come in, Harry."

Harry walked in, confused as to why he was asked to come here.

"Sit down." Snape still hadn't looked up from his grading.

"You know the Headmaster called for you. I'll tell you why. He has decided to keep a closer eye on you. He has certainly not missed the way the seating in the hall has changed. He thinks you are on your way to become the next Dark Lord."

Here, both of them snorted and Harry laughed so hard he fell of his chair. That explained reading his letter.

"Well, can't fault him on that one." Harry said.

"Though what I wanted to inform you about was that he does not want to _repeat_ his mistakes by keeping you at the orphanage. I assume he wants to make _alternative_ living arrangements for you. Be careful."

"I will be. Thank you for the warning."

"The password is _pepper imps._ " His distaste for the password was clear.

* * *

 _Dumbledore's office_

"Pepper imps." Harry grimaced and rolled his eyes. What a password!

The gargoyle shifted and a moving staircase was revealed to Harry. Harry climbed up and on reaching the door, he moved to knock. Before he could, though-

"Come in, Mr. Riddle."

He turned the handle and walked in. He had to say he was impressed. The Headmaster's office was a circular room tastefully decorated with colours from all four houses, various trinkets that Harry was sure he had never seen before despite his Father's collection. The previous headmasters' and mistress' portraits hung on the wall.

"Ah, Mr. Riddle, I've been expecting you. Take a seat." Dumbledore gestured to one of the comfortable chairs in front of his desk. Harry sat down and waited patiently for Dumbledore to start talking.

"I hope you are adjusting well, Harry- May I call you Harry?"

"Of course, sir." As if there was any other response he could give. "Yes, I've been adjusting well. I've made a few friends in the house, sir."

"Good, good. I am glad to hear that. I heard from Professor McGonagall that you… ah… live in an orphanage? Nasty place, she said."

"I do, sir."

"How do you find it there?"

Harry paused here and contemplated his answer.

"Well… you see, sir… I've always been… um… different from them. It- it made them ha- not like me. That has caused a few problems here and there but nothing else."

"Well, Harry, how would you like to have a different accommodation for your summer?"

"That is a wonderful offer, sir. But I'm afraid I must decline. I already promised Draco I would spend the vacation with him. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy have been kind enough to let me stay there the entire summer."

Harry watched Dumbledore carefully at this point. Though his facial expression did not change, his twinkle dimmed a little and for a fleeting moment he looked disappointed. But when he spoke, it was as if none of that ever happened.

"That is wonderful news, my boy. Well then it seems I don't have to take up any more of your time. Have a great Christmas, Harry. Happy holidays."

"Thank you, sir. Happy Christmas."

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

Harry decided, tonight, he would go down the trapdoor under the Cerberus. He wasn't any closer to finding out what tasks were in there than he was 3 months ago, when he first saw the beast. He knew there was philosophers stone was in there. How he came to know was a complete fluke.

 _A month after the Hallowe'en incident_

 _Harry was walking around the grounds since he was bored, again, when he saw Weasley and Longbottom going to the gamekeeper's hut. Weasley had taken to following Longbottom around like a lost puppy, hoping to bask in some of his glory. Harry's curiosity getting better of him, he followed them at a respectable distance. He missed the first few exchanges but one thing caught his attention-_

 _"… third floor corridor." So, they had a run-in with the beast. Typical._

 _"How do you know about Fluffy?"_

 _Fluffy? That thing has a name? His thoughts were echoed by Weasley._

 _"O' course he does. 'E's mine. Bought him off a Greek chappie."_

 _"What's he guarding? We saw a trapdoor." Harry snorted. Subtle._

 _"Well, that's not for you to know… it's between prof'ssor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel… I should not have said that…" Harry did not wait after that. He had vital information in his grasp. Nicholas Flamel… that name was familiar… where had he heard it? Yes! That's where._

Nicholas Flamel was the only known maker of the Philosopher's stone. That is something his Father would be interested in.

He had read everything there was to read on a Cerberus. He knew he had to use music to put the beast to sleep. Then his adventure.

* * *

 _That night_

Harry carried a harp with him, disillusioned like he was, walking stealthily towards the third floor, Draco, also disillusioned, following him- because, well, Harry couldn't walk out of the dorms silently it seems and it was better to have company.

"Are you sure about this, Harry?"

"If you ask that one more time Draco, I swear I will cruciate you."

Harry was not serious but Draco shut up all the same. He had asked the same question 5 times already.

When they reached the forbidden corridor, Harry unlocked the door and levitated the harp inside. Only after it started playing did he enter. The beast was fast asleep by then. Draco and Harry moved its paw aside and opened the trapdoor.

"I'm going to be an impulsive Gryffindor and jump down." Harry said, his self-preservation instinct warring with innate curiosity and need to fulfil the promise he made to his Father.

He jumped…

… And fell on something soft.

Though, being a Slytherin he immediately whispered, "Lumos." And he was glad he did. His fall was not cushioned by anything man-friendly. It was a Devil's Snare.

"Draco, jump down and light a fire immediately. It's a Devil's Snare down here."

"WHAT? What the- Wait, I'm coming."

Harry had lit a fire already. Combined with Draco's, the plant receded. Before they walked through the door into the next room, they heard a buzzing sound.

"What is that?" Draco asked.

"They sound like wings. Let's go in."

"Why do you _need_ to do this? This is insane. I am seriously doubting that you actually got into Sly-"

He stopped when Harry's eyes flashed. Harry was pissed with his incessant questioning.

"You want to know why I'm doing this?" He hissed, almost slipping into Parseltongue. His magic crackling. Draco took an unconscious step back. "Well the I'll tell you. Father asked me to. That is reason enough, don't you think?"

Draco gulped when he heard Harry say Dark Lord asked him to. He shouldn't have questioned. He quickly apologised.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

"You should be." At times like this it showed that Harry was raised by the Dark Lord. His ego plummeted and reached the Heavens.

"If you don't object anymore, Draco, let's move forward, shall we?" his voice was mocking. He turned and opened the door. "They're keys. Look that's the door. We have to get the right key."

"There are hundreds of the them. How are we supposed to do it?"

"Fly." Saying it, he took off. His father had, of course, taught him that. Draco was used to this, the only reason he wasn't startled.

Harry was back down within a minute. He crossed over and opened the door.

"Come, Draco."

Draco was quick to follow.

Seeing the next room, Harry was glad Draco was with him.

Chess.

For all his talents, Harry failed miserably at chess. He never could strategize properly. Draco was better than him by leaps and bounds.

"Your forte, Draco."

The game was intense. Draco was ruthless, but then again so were the white pieces. But the game was over in just over 15 minutes, with the white king dropping his crown at Draco's feet.

They walked over the door, opened it and shut it again. The smell was horrible. And only so many things smelled that bad. One of them was-

 _"Trolls."_ They breathed.

"There is a _troll_ inside. What are we going to do? How are we-"

"Draco, Draco, calm down. We have to think of something." Draco was going into full panic mode. Harry thought, he remembered reading about trolls.

They were incredibly stupid but easily angered. They also loved raw human flesh. If it was distracted enough, it would let them go past it. Harry levitated one of the chess pieces to him and started on basic transfiguration, making it look human complete with hair and few facial features. He animated the chess piece and sent it in the next room. Sure enough, they heard ripping. They tiptoed in the room and saw that the troll was distracted enough and raced their way towards the end of the room to the other door, opened it quickly and shut it tight when they slipped into the next one.

As soon as they did that though, a fire consumed it as it did their way forward. Looking around, they found a cabinet with potions and a parchment.

 _Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

 _Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

 _One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

 _Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

 _Two among our number hold only nettle-wine,_

 _Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line_

 _Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore_

 _To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

 _First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

 _You will always find some on nettle wine's left side_

 _Second, different are those who stand at either end_

 _But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

 _Third as you see clearly, all are different size_

 _Neither dwarf nor giant hold death in their insides;_

 _Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

 _Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Harry shook his head. Anyone who knew Severus or had half a brain would not be confused. At all. It was very easy. The smallest bottle will help him go forward. The round bottle at the end of the line at the right side would take him back. If he was correct, the bottles would have a refilling charm on them. He guessed it, since there was only enough for one person.

"I'll take the smallest one, it'll take me forward. Hopefully, it will refill. But if it does not, take the potion from the round bottle it is supposed to take you back."

"But… the troll?"

"Ah, so, I suppose you'll have to wait for me then."

"Okay, be careful."

"Draco-… don't worry. I will be."

He went in, expecting something challenging, wand drawn…

… It was a mirror.

A bloody mirror. How anticlimactic!

Harry moved forward but did not lower his defences. It was Dumbledore after all. He had more tricks up his sleeve than a muggle magician.

When Harry reached the mirror, when he first looked into it, he saw himself. But older. He was sitting next to his Father in a similar throne with Death Eaters kneeling at his feet.

 _'Does it show future?'_

He wondered for a moment when he saw the inscription-

Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi

 _I show not your face but your heart's desire._

Harry was intrigued, this was the mirror of Erised. His father had searched for it, but never found one. And Dumbledore just had one lying around in a school full of children? There must be a reason. Was the stone in the mirror?

"Is that a mirror?" So, the bottles did refill.

"Yes. But it is the mirror of Erised."

"Is it really? They are really rare."

"I know. Now let me concentrate."

Draco waited.

He looked again and concentrated on getting the stone for his Father. His reflection in the mirror winked at him and put a blood red stone in his pocket. Harry felt a weight in his pocket and realised he had the stone. What was the test?

 _Devil's Snare was Sprout's_

 _Keys must have been charmed by Flitwick_

 _Chess was transfigured by McGonagall_

 _Troll… must have been Quirell. Hard to imagine that one._

 _Potions were Severus'. Obviously._

So, this… this was Dumbledore's… and that was it? A mirror? Harry shrugged. Not like he cared, he cared about getting the stone which he did get.

"What did you get? What was the task?"

"The task was getting this." Harry held up the stone.

"What is it?"

"The Philosopher's stone." Draco gasped.

"What the bloody hell is it doing in a school full of children? This can attract a lot of unwanted attention."

"I think that is exactly what Dumbledore wanted. I think he wanted to lure Father out using this. But let us talk about this later. Come on."

Harry went back to the potions room, followed by Draco.

"Here's what we will do. I'll go first, you follow me and use the conjunctivitis curse on it as its eyes are a weakness, okay?"

"Okay."

Harry gulped the potion from the round bottle and went through the purple fire.

Knowing he had only one chance, he quickly aimed his wand to the troll's eyes and shouted the curse. He heard Draco do it too, after coming through the fire. Both spells hit its mark and the troll howled with pain. Ignoring it, Harry and Draco carried on.

"Will we have to play our way back again?" Draco asked.

It seemed not when they moved forward but the chess pieces did not block them. Similarly, they went through the keys room. But came at a halt at the devil's snare. Draco had no idea how they would climb back up. But Harry did.

"Draco, hold on tight to me."

And he took off. Twisting a little, showing off that he could fly without a broom. When they came up from the trapdoor, the were relived to find the harp still playing. But still, without preamble, they went out the corridor, disillusioned, of course. They quickly went back to their dorms, where Harry put the stone in his trunk and put a parsel password. Assuring no one except his father and him could open it. They quickly shed their dressing-gowns and slid under their covers.

"That was awesome, Harry." Harry did not know what part Draco was referring to. But he said-

"I know." And they both drifted off to sleep, Harry thinking how the stone would a great Christmas present for his Father.

* * *

 **T.M.T.P**

* * *

 _Father,_

 _This is an early Yule present for you. Hope you like it._

 _Harry_

 _Harry,_

 _This is wonderful. I knew you would not fail me. Happy Christmas. This package contains your present. You will find it useful._

 _Take care. I will see you in summer._

 _Father_

Anyone else seeing those letters would see Harry informing his caretaker how he won't be coming for summer either and the caretaker telling him how glad he was.

Harry's present included a rare book on parsel magic. Dark magic so advance that a person would be in Azkaban for thinking about it. The Dark Lord was going to start Harry's advance combat training in summer. Hence, the book. Harry was supposed to read it before summer. Harry was certainly glad. It would stave of some boredom he was suffering from.

* * *

 _Sometime in March_

After he had stolen the stone, he had felt some tension running in the staff. Dumbledore looked both upset, desperate and a little mad- someone stole the stone under his nose after all. They must be really anxious about the stone thief. Harry mentally shrugged. It wasn't his concern.

He was walking towards Great Hall when he heard some noises-

"…know-it-all. Think you are so much better." It was Weasley. There was only one person he would call that. The Mudblood. Harry wanted to interfere. He didn't know why. He shouldn't care. He remembered what had happened the last time and forced himself to keep walking. The entire day he could think of nothing else. It disgusted him.

"Harry? Are you alright?" Draco was waving a hand in front of his face.

"Yes, yes, I am. Just thinking." Draco didn't look convinced but let it slide. Exams were soon approaching and they needed to revise. That is what the First Years were doing and so each of them went back to it, having looked up when Draco asked Harry.

* * *

 _After exams_

"Finally, freedom."

Harry snorted at that. "Really, Draco? That was challenging for you?"

"No, but it was still so boring." Thus came back the whiny, spoilt Draco.

"Alright, if you say so."

But even Harry was glad the exams were over. He had noticed, as time passed, Dumbledore get even more desperate. It made him feel giddy that he was the one to do it. Dumbledore still hadn't found out. It was just wonderful.

They were sitting by the lake, when Harry saw _her_. He was still disgusted how much it bothered him when someone bothered her. So, he decided to take off some of his frustration.

"Look Draco. It's the Gryffindor mudblood. I'm bored. So watch."

He stood up and purposefully walked towards her. She had her head in her paper, muttering to herself and so didn't see when Harry walked into he, sending her and he books sprawling to the ground.

"Watch where you are going, mudblood." Her eyes flashed at that. Probably going to start a rant about the injustice. Ha! If only she knew. He was surprised when she just ignored him and started collecting her books. But he was not disappointed.

"You know, there are basic manners to help someone when you walk into them."

"Why in the world would you think I would help you? I don't want to get my hands dirty now, do I?" Here, her gaze faltered, her lip trembled and her eyes filled with water. But she just determinedly picked her books and raced away.

Harry, at that time, was filled with some twisted satisfaction and he felt much better. When he went back to his _friends_ they were looking at him in shock, all except Draco, who knew how cruel Harry could get.

"You are going to fit in right with us." Theo clapped him on the back as they made place for him to sit.

Oh, they had no idea how wrong they were. Later on, they would have to fit in, according to his wishes.

* * *

Thank you for reading. I know Harry comes out a little too cruel at the end, but he did grow up with Voldemort.  
Please review to let me know how it was. And what I should do to improve


	5. Filler- Rest of the wizarding world

**A/N: I am sort of disappointed with lack of response. It would be great if you would review, if only to tell me how bad my writing is. it will help me improve. Anyway,** **I realised I never specified on what happened to the wizarding world when Harry was growing up. so this is a filler for you. Not a lot though. I might update again tomorrow (another filler). Until then, enjoy :)**  
 **Unbeta'ed work. forgive my errors.**

* * *

 _Sirius Black:_

Something was wrong. Something was _very_ wrong. Since convincing the Potters to chance their secret-keeper Sirius Black was feeling uneasy, but it was never like this. Never so strong. This feeling of foreboding was suffocating and so Sirius decided it was time to pay a visit to the rat. Only to find him-

 _'_ _Gone! He's gone. There are no signs of struggle. Did he-?'_ With the depressing thoughts, he went to Godric's Hollow. Unfortunately, he was too late. Voldemort had reached them first. The entire house was in ruins. In shock, Sirius entered and almost completely broke down seeing the dead body of his brother in all but blood. But he couldn't. He had to see if Harry was alive. His Godson. He would be the only link to his dead friends.

It seemed Lady Luck was not on his side. In the nursery, Lily was dead. At first there was no sign of harry but when he saw the crib, Sirius broke down completely. His friends, his Godson. All dead. That day Sirius made a resolution. The dark would pay. They would pay dearly for killing his family. He would show them no mercy, just like them. The thought of following the rat and killing it never eve crossed his mind. That probably was the only thing that saved him from the fate of suffering in Azkaban.

After that day, Sirius was the Auror that held the record of killing or capturing the highest number of death eaters.

* * *

 _Remus Lupin:_

He had stayed away from Sirius and the Potters since the time Sirius suspected him to be the spy. But that day he couldn't stay away. He had a very bad feeling about the day. It was Hallowe'en and the muggle children were dressed up and asking for candy. Even seeing their joy did not lift Remus' mood. He decided to pay the Potters a visit. He had no way of knowing that he would never meet them. Instead he would find a hysterical Sirius in what used to be Harry's nursery vowing to kill the dark mercilessly. Even the usually strong wolf could not bear to see the remains of the only people who not only accepted but loved him unconditionally.

Remus was not an Auror, his condition did not allow it. But he had captured and injured as many death eaters as Sirius.

* * *

 _Albus Dumbledore:_

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office sucking on a lemon drop. He was quite content. The Hallowe'en feast had just gotten over and the students were in bed except a few mischief makers, but Dumbledore was not worried about them. A little sneaking never harmed any one.

Being so content, he did not anticipate the wards around the Potter home to fall and so it took him a few minutes to react. He immediately called for Fawkes and made his way towards their house. Not on time though. He reached to find a collapsed house and a werewolf and an animagus holding each other for comfort in young Harry's nursery. He was not prepared to find out that Harry was dead.

The next morning, there was mention of prophesy in the Daily Prophet which declared Neville Longbottom as the chosen one. The latter half of the prophesy never came out and no one doubted Albus Dumbledore's word.

* * *

 _The rest of the world:_

The British Wizarding world was in chaos. The Potter line was dead. Murdered by the most feared Dark Lord in history. It made them re-think their alliances. Defying the lord lead to fate like Potters'. Supporting the dark lord meant safety for their family. But it also meant renouncing the muggleborn's and the muggle world. Few of them were not ready to do it. They had to make a decision.

* * *

 _As years passed:_

As years passed, the attacks on the magical community became lesser and lesser. The threat of the Dark Lord was never completely gone, but as he started operating from the shadows, people started dropping their guard. Speculations ran about. People spread rumours about the Dark Lord getting weaker, though none of them ever spoke about it, except to their families. Even the death eaters started speculating. The Dark Lord was rarely seen outside of his home. The only people who knew the truth were his select few in the inner circle. The Dark Lord still held meetings but most of them were achieving their goals through political movements.

In no way was he promoting Mudblood rights but he knew that the pureblood lines were weakening due to inter-marriage. His own wizarding family was an example. They needed new blood. Even if they were mudbloods, they had magic. And that was important. It was their link and connections to the muggle world that pissed him off. He knew if he told that to purebloods, they would not believe him. He had to ascertain his hold over the wizarding society before passing the new laws. But till then they needed to remain a secret. No-one will know it till the right time.

* * *

 _July 31, 1991_

It would have been HIS 11th birthday, had he not been dead. He would have received his letter and all of them- Moony, Prongs, Lils and Padfoot- would have taken Harry for his Hogwarts shopping instead of just Moony and Padfoot just drowning their sorrows in bottles of firewhiskey. Sirius had killed a lot of those bastards but none of it filled the gaping hole in his heart.

"All of those bastards will die, Moony. I swear. I'll fucking kill them or die trying."

"Touché." Remus replied as they ordered another bottle of firewhiskey.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading. please review.**


	6. Filler- Summer

**A/N: another filler as promised. enjoy. :)**

* * *

Summer vacations came all too soon and it was time to go back home. The results had come and as expected Harry was at the top of his class. Granger came a close second. He would have to work harder to keep a margin between them. Harry was looking forward to go home. Hogwarts was nice, but it was not home. At home, he could practise all spells, including dark arts which he couldn't do here, talk in parsel without revealing the truth to everyone. He was also excited to start his training on the spells he had read about in the book sent by his Father.

The train ride was not very notable, Draco played Exploding Snap with Theo and Blaise, Harry spent his time reading the book sent by his father. The girls had put their heads together and talking about Merlin-knows-what. On the station, Harry made his way towards Narcissa and Lucius, but greeted them formally. This was the first time he was supposed to meet them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, it's great to meet you. I've heard about you so much from Draco. Thank you for letting me stay with you."

"Nonsense, dear, it is our pleasure to have you with us. We feel as if we already know you since years!"

Harry barely managed to swallow his snort at Narcissa's sentence.

"Come on, Mr. Riddle, Narcissa, time to go." They made their way towards Lucius and then towards the floo. Harry was not supposed to know how to do it, so he asked Narcissa.

"It is quite simple Mr. Rid-" "Call me Harry." "Very well, Harry, just observe Draco and you can follow him." Harry stepped in after Draco and threw the Floo powder while saying, "Malfoy Manor".

He was brushing of soot from his clothes when the Malfoy couple floo'ed(?) in.

"The Dark Lord is waiting for you in my study Harry."

"Thank you, Lucius, I'll go meet him now."

"Hello Father. Did you enjoy your Yuletide present?" He was smirking, he knew his father HAD enjoyed it.

"Yes, you insolent brat! Now I wanted to talk to you about your training this summer. We will start next week, Monday, 6 in the morning in the duelling chamber."

* * *

Harry was panting. He was tired, it was 11 in the morning and he still did not have a break. 5 hours continuously he was duelling with his Father. He was hungry!

It had been a month after his training started. The dark lord started with half hour to 45 minutes of training including running and exercises to build stamina. And now slowly increasing the time it had gone up to 5 bloody hours!

Harry looked up. His father, apart from a little heavy breathing, was showing no signs of getting tired! There was a small smirk playing around his lips. Oh no, that never meant good for the person in front of him. Right now, that was Harry.

"Tired already Harry? And here I was thinking you could actually defeat me- ' _old man'_ you called me."

Harry groaned. Not that again. He'd called his father that in a moment of defiancy when they were going through books and his father had forgotten where he kept some books. His father had used it to rub salts in his wounds. Every time Harry got tired, his father would use it to mock him even more.

"I'm sorry. Can you please let it go?"

"Oh Harry, I have perfect mockery material. Do you think I'll just let it go?"

Harry groaned again and prepared himself for it.

* * *

Harry was enjoying. A lot. Currently he was flying, racing Draco. Harry knew he would win. Brooms were just a restriction. They had speed limits on them. Flying by yourself, that was amazing. Draco was on a nimbus 2001, he hoped to make the quidditch team. He wanted Lucius to secure a position for him, but Lucius declined point blank by saying-

"If you can't get on the team on your own merit, then you can't get on it at all. I'm not going to bribe them." Draco was disappointed but refrained from throwing a hissy fit. Harry understood what Lucius was getting at.

"Come on Draco! Are you that bad a flier?"

Draco huffed but did not grace Harry with a comment. He just sped up. He was already panting with the effort.

"It's not my fault that you are bloody impossible to catch when you fly."

Harry just laughed, twisted mid-air and shot for the ground. Draco followed muttering about 'egoistical prats' and 'show-offs'.

"Admit it Draco, I'm a better flier of the two of us."

"As if you need your head to get any bigger." Draco muttered under his breath.

Harry chose to ignore him.

"Come on, boys. Harry your Father is asking you to go home immediately."

"Yes, Narcissa. Bye Draco. I'll see you when we go to get supplies."

Last week their letters had come but they did not get a chance to visit Diagon Alley. They were visiting it on the Sunday. Being so close to start of school, it was going to be extremely crowded but oh well, they had no choice. Their booklists contained all books written by Gilderoy Lockhart and so they were curious to know who it was to assign them. They knew Quirrell had resigned (something about vampires still haunting him). And Lockhart was a fraud as anyone not belonging to the female species or having half a brain would know, even Narcissa was charmed by him. What a phony!

* * *

"… and this year, Hogwarts students are going to get much more than just my books! They will be taught by someone who can best explain the text. They are getting The Magical Me! I am flattered to say that I'm going to be the new Defence professor at Hogwarts for the coming year…"

Harry did not know why he was surprised, of course the ponce himself was teaching them. Who else would assign ALL the books to them, including his autobiography that did not deal with defence at all? First a stuttering fool, now a ponce! Great education Dumbledore had going here. If he did not already possess this knowledge, he would be stuck in defence. Dumbledore was doing a great job of weakening the light side for the dark.

"I would rather not learn defence at all than learn something harmful to myself. These spells don't even exist!"

"I know, Draco, but there is nothing we can do. Buck up. This year's defence lessons are going to be a cakewalk. Just praise him till the end of the world and you get the highest marks there are." Draco snickered at that.

"That is true. That is what we will do." Harry cracked a small smile at that.

"It's too crowded in there for my liking. Let's finish rest of our shopping and then come back."

When they came back, the bookstore was just as crowded so they had to push their way around to get what they wanted. Neither fancied an autograph from Lockhart and so, they just picked up books and got out after paying the bill.

When Harry reached home, his elf took all his purchases to be packed into his trunk and informed him that the Dark Lord wanted to meet him. Harry hurried towards the study, knocked and waited.

"Come in, Harry."

Harry walked in and softly shut the door behind him.

"I'm very happy with the way you handled yourself when you got the philosopher's stone. This year, I have a different task for you."

Harry was excited. "What is it?"

"Tell me, Harry, have you heard of the Chamber of Secrets?"

* * *

Eliana Debrey: Thank you! you really made my day :)

 **A/N: thank you for reading. please review. :) stay tuned in for more**


	7. Second Year- Part 1

the previous version was just too short. so I've decided to update it with a longer version. I'm still not satisfied with the length but this'll have to do for this chapter. enjoy :)

* * *

Time to go back to school. Harry was even more excited for this year than last year. _Chamber of Secrets_. How brilliant was that! Now all those unworthy of magic could leave school!

"Bye, Father."

"Bye Harry. Don't get caught doing anything."

"Of course Father, I won't get _caught_."

Harry swore he could see a hint of smile on his Father's face that was replaced soon with the usual blank mask.

Harry got on the train and started to look for a compartment. As he passed through various compartments, he saw some familiar faces and some unfamiliar faces. As he was passing, he saw a red headed girl in one of the compartments looking depressed. She was wearing standard Hogwarts robes without the house colours. _A first year._ Harry decided to talk to her. Why? He had no idea.

"Hello. Are you okay?"

She started at that and looked up surprised to find a Slytherin second or third year standing in front of her.

"Yes, I'm fine. Actually, my brother's being a git and not letting me sit with him. I'm nervous about starting school."

"Is that all? Don't worry. School is great. The best part is the Slytherin house. I'm Harry Riddle. You are?"

"I'm Ginny, Ginny Weasley. I kind of guessed the you would say Slytherin is the best." She gestured to his tie.

"Oh, so you are Weasley's sister?" He shrugged. "But it's true, Slytherin is the best. Doesn't matter what that git of your brother says."

She laughed a bit at that and asked Harry if he wanted to sit there. Harry agreed, if only because by that time most compartments were full. Draco came in at that time and opened his mouth to say something but Harry silenced him with a look. Draco looked confused but said nothing and sat down beside Harry.

"Ginny, Draco Malfoy. Draco, Ginny Weasley." Weasley, to her credit, nodded politely and removed a book from her bag to read. Draco mouthed _'Weasley?'_ but did not comment on it.

Most of the train ride was spent in companionable silence with Ginny reading her potions book (smart girl) and Harry reading the book his father gave him on his birthday _Magick Moste Evile._ Draco left after sometime to find Zabini and Nott. After he left, Ginny asked, "So, how are we sorted?"

"I can't tell you!"

"Can't or won't?"

"Alright, won't. It's a tradition to find it out yourself."

"Aw, come on. Not even small details?"

"No." He said with a tone of finality.

She looked disappointed but didn't press the matter.

"Tell me about the houses. All I hear from my brothers is how great Gryffindor is and how slimy the snakes are."

"To begin with, Slytherins are the best. We are cunning and ambitious which somehow translates to _being evil_ for the Gryffindors. The Ravenclaws are the nerds. You can see them walking with their heads stuck in a book. The Hufflepuffs are the underdogs. They never come out on the top of anything. It gives them the impression of being the _duffer_ house."

"Oh, well… okay." She seemed to be lost in thought after that so Harry chose not to disturb her.

When they reached the station, Ginny joined the rest of the first years to go to the boats and Harry and his friends took the carriages.

* * *

At the feast, Harry tuned out most of the sorting. As it turned out, Weasley was the last person to be sorted.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Harry didn't know who was more surprised at that announcement- Ginny herself, her brothers or the house. A Weasley in Slytherin? That was as impossible as a Malfoy in Gryffindor. Yet, it had happened. Ginny Weasley was in Slytherin. She slowly removed the hat and made her way towards the Slytherin table. Harry waved her to sit next to him. No one said anything.

"It's not possible, there has to be a mistake." Of course the youngest male Weasley had to make a fool of himself. He just had to speak at every given opportunity, which was when he wasn't stuffing food in his mouth.

"Mr. Weasley, please sit down and maintain decorum." McGonagall chided him.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and got up to his feet.

"Welcome all. I hope you all had a great summer. There is a time and place for speeches and this is neither. So, tuck in!"

* * *

 _In the common room_

Harry entered the common room well after all others. The Weaselette following after him. As soon as Harry entered, all talk stopped and they looked towards him. Harry said only one thing-

"She is under my protection."

And that was all that was said that night in the common room by the students. The first years were confused. But for different reasons, Ginny- because she didn't know about the Slytherin dynamics and the rest because they didn't understand how a second year was at the top.

Harry had no idea what had possessed him to take her under his protection, but he could see a lot of potential in her. With the right comfort, training and growth, she would turn out to be a very formidable witch and a great asset to the dark. He would slowly have to work towards distancing her from her family, which, given Ron's reaction may turn out to be easy.

* * *

 _Few days later_

 ** _"_** ** _Open"_**

To anyone apart from Harry and his Father, the word would sound like hissing, cold and dark, the kind that makes your neck prick with fear. But to them, it was a normal way of communication, with each other as well as with Nagini.

Harry was currently in the girls' bathroom on the second floor, hissing at the tap that he knew to be the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. The entire sink opened to reveal a dark damp hole.

 ** _"_** ** _Stairs."_**

Harry went down through the hole and proceeded into the chamber and called the basilisk.

 ** _"_** ** _Hello, beautiful one, I'm Harry, descendent of Salazar, I've come here to ask you for your help in ridding the castle of all those unworthy."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Welcome, descendent of Salazar. When do I begin? All these years have made me hungry."_**

Harry smiled and began telling her his entire plan.

* * *

The first attack happened on Hallowe'en.

All students were enjoying the feast when the doors of the Great Hall banged open and Filch came running in shouting and mumbling incoherently. The only words audible were

"…poor Mrs. Norris… my cat… Chamber of Secrets something… opened… heir of Slytherin… killed… all stiff…"

He was repeating them over and over again. Needless to say, mutterings started across the hall and students started panicking and the screaming began.

BOOM!

"Everyone quiet please, all prefects please lead your students back to your common rooms. All teachers please follow me. Mr. Filch, if you would, please lead us to your cat." Immediately, there was a flurry of activities in the Hall. All prefects were rounding up the students. The first years were looking scared and huddling together. Slowly, all students started trickling out, house by house. The Slytherins were the last ones to leave. As they reached their common room, the seventh-year prefect, Megan Jones called out.

"All students stay in the common room. I need to address some points." Once all of them were settled, she continued.

"As we all heard, Filch was muttering about 'Heir of Slytherin'. Now what we don't know, is how much of what he says is true but Slytherin being the least liked house, we will be hated even more after this incident. So, in this situation we must be more united than ever. Let no one see the disputes between two Slytherins. Always show the united front. Clear?"

A united 'yes' rang throughout the room.

"Good, now off to bed with the lot of you."

 _In the dormitory_

"Harry…"

"Yes, Draco?"

"What do you think happened? Did you have anything to do with it?"

"Why would you think that Draco?" His voice was perfect measures of innocence and curiosity.

"Let me think… how about, 'Your father is the dark lord who is well known to be the heir of Slytherin, which makes you the heir too'."

Harry laughed. "Good reasoning Draco. But I'm not telling you anything. Let's just say, plausible deniability."

"Plau- what?"

"Plausible deniability. The ability to deny knowing something damnable done by a correspondent because, you don't actually know. You know, but you don't KNOW. Does that make sense?"

Draco pondered for a moment. "I guess…"

"Oh good. So, good night Draco."

"Good night, Harry."

 _The next day- Great Hall. Breakfast._

"Good morning. I know you all are curious to know what happened yesterday. Let me tell you-" Dumbledore began solemnly.

"Mrs. Norris, contrary to the speculations, is not dead. She has been petrified. By what? The teachers are onto finding that. She will be fine once the Mandrakes are fully grown and the draught has been made. There is nothing to worry about except your classes."

Everyone looked relieved, except Harry. He was surprised. Only petrified? What happened? He decided to meet the basilisk before dinner. He looked at his timetable and almost groaned out loud. The first lecture was Lockhart's and it was a double lecture. The ponce was as bad at teaching as he was at writing. The only thing he could talk about was himself. Harry still remembered the first class with him, they had been given a pop quiz in which all questions begun with "what is Lockhart's favourite…?" Although, Harry could say they were lucky not to be subject to 'the deadliest creatures on earth' called 'freshly picked Cornish pixies' like the Gryffindor second years. Obviously, Lockhart had never heard of dementors.

"Good Morning students. Why are you'll looking so jumpy? Mrs. Norris is fine. I must say, I think the monster heard I was here and decided not to go for the kill."

Harry sneered at that. As if that ponce could do anything if he actually meets the monster. But then immediately smirked- _'wouldn't that be fun?'_

The hour passed as it usually did, Lockhart talking about himself, Harry thinking about his plan of attack and the rest of the students doing whatever it was that they did.

Four o'clock found Harry making his way towards the chamber and then calling for the basilisk.

 ** _"What happened? Why is she not dead!?"_**

 ** _"The crying ghost flooded the bathroom. The cat saw only my reflection."_**

 ** _"Next time… go for the kill."_**

 ** _"Of course. It was luck this time that saved the cat."_**

 ** _"Next time make sure it is a human. Cat petrification doesn't scare anyone as easily."_**

 ** _"Whatever you say, Heir."_**

Harry was heading back to the dormitory after talking to the basilisk when he heard crying. Looking around he saw an alcove that could easily fit a person. Peeking in, he saw Ginny.

"Ginny! What's the matter?"

She looked surprised at his voice and hastily wiped her eyes.

"Nothing, just a sibling chat with my brothers." That explained _a lot._

"What did those gits say?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Harry didn't press for information. Instead handed her a handkerchief and comforted her a bit.

"All of them are idiots. None of them can see past the _slytherins are evil_ mantra. Now they are accusing me of being evil. I had thought that at least Percy would support me but even he is accusing me. _What did I do?"_ her last sentence came out as a shriek. Harry flinched but kept comforting her.

"It's okay Ginny. One day they will see how great you become because you definitely have to have ambition to get into Slytherin. Now relax and keep proving yourself to be better than them. They are just jealous that you got into the best house and they didn't."

She cracked a smile at that and said, "Thanks Harry. I needed that."

"Come on then. Or we'll be late for dinner."

He led her to the Great Hall where she sat with her year mates and he slid in beside Draco. ' _That went well. If this continues, Ginny will come over to the dark without any persuasion. Really, the Weasley's are doing a great job of pushing Ginny away. First the Howler and now this. A little more effort and Ginny is on my side.'_

* * *

Thank you for reading. please R&R


	8. Second Year- Part 2

Yes i'm alive. sorry for that gap. couldn't help it. here is a brand new chapter. Hermione makes appearance in this one after two chapters without her. enjoy!

unbeta'd work.

* * *

 ** _"_** ** _That giant-man has roosters."_**

This was the greeting Harry got when he next entered the Chamber. And Harry could see how that could potentially be a problem. It was after Christmas and due to the attack on Hallowe'en, the teachers were on high alert, making it difficult for Harry to slip down into the chamber. In the meanwhile, a Ravenclaw prefect was found petrified and not dead because she was checking her reflection in a mirror when she saw the basilisk through the mirror. Visiting the chamber had become even more difficult after that.

 ** _"_** ** _Don't worry. I have a plan to overcome that. You concentrate on finding your victims."_**

And concentrate she did. The next was a double attack but Harry was once again disappointed when the intended victim was saved one again by a ghost of all things. The Hufflepuff mudblood Fletch- no Finch-something saw the basilisk through the ghost. The environment in the school was subdued. Only person who was remotely cheerful was Lockhart.

"Why those long faces? I have the perfect solution for cheering you up. Today we will see my 'Gaddling with the ghouls'." And he had the audacity to wink! To wink! After presenting the abomination he called a book. Needless to say, Harry was in a bad mood when he left the classroom. His mood wasn't improved when someone ran into him, sending them both sprawling to the ground. He was even more displeased to see who it was.

"Watch it, mudblood. Don't you-" He cut himself off when he saw her timetable. He sneered. All the Lockhart's lessons were outlined with little hearts. "Oooh does little Granger have a crush on her professor?"

Hermione stood up, brushed her skirt and snatched her timetable back.

"None of your concern, Riddle. Or is it? Oh my, is someone getting jealous?"

Harry put all effort from his occlumency lessons in fighting the heat that was threatening to rise up in his cheeks.

"Shut up. I don't need to be jealous of the likes of you."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night Riddle." Saying this, she brushed past him and stalked into the defence classroom.

This was the third time she'd said something that had made Harry speechless and rooted to the spot. Damn that mudblood.

By the end of the day, Harry was extremely frustrated and decided to talk to the basilisk and ordering an attack. But his bad luck seemed to have no end when Ginny corner- no politely asked him to help her with homework. He was doing it only to sway her to his side and not because he was intimidated a little. Not at all.

In the end, before curfew, he had about an hour to go down to the chamber.

 ** _"_** ** _Hello heir, is it time already for the next attack?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Yes, yes, it is."_**

* * *

The next morning was a chaos. Harry was woken by a frantic knocking on their dorm door. He quickly woke up, slipped on a dressing gown and went out to see what the commotion was. The prefect led Draco and him to the common room with a curt, "Snape wants to meet the Slytherins." After all students had assembled in the common room, Snape entered and,

"There has been another attack-" mutterings- "Quiet! This time the victim is not petrified. He is dead. A Gryffindor first year by the name Colin Creevy was found dead late night by Professor McGonagall when his dormmates reported him to be missing. Professor Dumbledore has taken the decision of closing the school until the entire matter is sorted out and the Heir of Slytherin is caught. You will be sent home today by afternoon, so I suggest you pack as quickly as you can. Mr. Riddle, may I see you in my office? We need to discuss your accommodations."

"Yes sir."

The entire common room was a chaos after Snape left. The younger years were panicking, though Draco would deny any of it later, while the elder students were trying to calm it down which added to the commotion.

 ** _BANG!_**

The common room calmed down enough to see Marcus Flint standing on one of the chairs with his wand in the air.

"Everybody please calm down! Now, first through fourth years form a single line and follow Derrick to your common rooms. Go in and pack your trunks. Meet us in the common room in half an hour. I mean it, anyone not here will be dragged out and will have to leave with the others even if his or her stuff is unpacked. So I will suggest you to not loiter around. All prefects please stay here with me. Riddle, Snape wants to meet you, so I would suggest packing doubly fast."

When they entered their dorm, Draco looked like he wanted to say something but Harry said, "We'll talk about this later Draco."

* * *

Harry packed quickly and went to Snape's office.

"Mr. Riddle, are you behind these attacks?"

Harry's face was perfect mixture of innocence and pleasant surprise.

"What makes you say that professor?"

"Harry-" Snape warned sternly, using the same tone as his father. Harry grinned.

"Professor, I still have no idea what you are talking about."

Snape sighed. "Very well Mr. Riddle. Are you all packed?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Go then. I have to assist other professors."

After leaving the office, Harry took a small detour towards the chamber and warned the basilisk about Dumbledore's plan and told her to stay in the chamber.

When he returned to the common room, all the students were organized year wise to leave the school. Snape strode in at the moment and asked them to follow him. As they walked to the Entrance Hall to take the carriages, they saw disturbance outside. Looking outside they saw Aurors leading Hagrid out and Dumbledore arguing with Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.

"Where do you think they're taking the oaf?" Asked Draco.

"I have no idea." Lied Harry. Harry, in fact, had an inkling as to where Hagrid was being taken. 50 years ago, his father had blamed Hagrid for opening the chamber. It seemed they were arresting him on suspicion. Harry and Draco weren't the only ones discussing it. The entire student population had burst into whispers, speculations running wild.

Harry got onto the train and found an empty compartment to sit in. Ginny came in a few minutes looking livid.

"Ron… that absolute git. See if I don't pay him back in summer. Oh, hi Harry, Malfoy." Draco gave an acknowledging nod

"What happened Ginny?"

"The usual Slytherins are slimy stuff, but his time he actually tried to turn my tie red and gold." She showed them her tie, which if they looked closely, they could see tints of gold in the silver. Harry burst out laughing. Even Ginny smiled at that her anger evaporating. Draco was trying very hard, but Harry could see his lips tugging as he fought the smile. The rest of the journey was spent in companionable silence and they parted ways at the station, Harry leaving with the Malfoy's.

* * *

When Harry returned home, his father wasn't there. He was out meeting some potential supporters. The next morning, when Harry walked into the dining room, his father was sitting there having breakfast.

"Good morning Father."

His father just nodded and continued eating. Harry was surprised, his father usually greeted him verbally. The meeting must've been bad. Harry loaded his plate and started eating just as the papers came.

"May I, father?" Harry asked when his father made no move to pick up the papers. Voldemort just waved his hand. Harry picked up the paper and began reading.

 ** _The Chamber of Secrets: A reality that kills First Year boy_**

 _You read right, dear readers. The chamber of secrets is not a myth, not a story fabricated by Slytherins. It is a bitter truth that came to light in a shocking move made by the Minister and the Aurors yesterday._

 _Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts was apprehended for suspicious activity involving the Chamber of Secrets. As it turns out this is not the first time the chamber has been opened. It was opened 50 years ago when a girl named Myrtle Warren, (yes that myrtle!) was killed by this monster. Apparently it was all hushed up and Hagrid was expelled but trained on the grounds to become the Gamekeeper. It is shocking. Is that what you get for murder? Being expelled and kept on the grounds as the gamekeeper? Why weren't the Aurors involved? We have an answer to that too. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump, the then Transfiguration professor and assistant head, insisted that Hagrid was innocent and he was to be given a second chance. Where has that led? Death of another innocent soul, Colin Creevy, muggleborn, first year Gryffindor who would've turned into a fine wizard, had he had a chance which was so unceremoniously stolen from him. We, here at Daily Prophet, pray for this soul so innocently lost. May he rest in peace._

 _But dear readers, fear not, the culprit has been apprehended and is going to face a trial two days hence. The public is rooting for life in Azkaban or dementor's kiss. Are you? Let us know by owl. But this issue raises other questions like Is Hogwarts safe for our children? Is Dumbledore losing his touch? Can he be trusted with important decisions that his position demands making? We await these answers. And we demand a review of Dumbledore by the board of governors._

 _Rita Skeeter, the Daily Prophet._

Harry smirked. "You have to see this father."

Harry watched his father skim through the article, a smirk growing on his face. "Good job, Harry. Your training will resume tomorrow at 7 sharp."

* * *

The summer months went by extremely quickly. Between summer homework, lessons with his father, tutors, the extra dark arts practise and flying with Draco, Harry barely had a free moment. Since Hagrid was caught there was no need to close down the school and it was going to continue as normal.

All too soon, it was time for a new year to begin.

* * *

the next chapter will skip directly to fourth year. don't worry, important events of third year will be covered since nothing exciting happened :')

thank you for reading. please leave a review


End file.
